Do you want your news in a nutshell? If so, Elm City Express is the source for you. We are a service of the New Haven Register, but we will provide a slightly different daily dose of New Haven happenings, all wrapped up in the same place. We love to hear from the community and will post your news for you, often in your words!
Remember: Local news is our story.
Contact us at: hbennettharvey@nhregister.com. We would love to hear from you.

Conn. Department Public Health: 'One out of Three Connecticut Kindergartners and Third-Graders are Overweight or Obese'

Cancer survivors and nutrition: a class in Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT — St. Vincent’s presents a “Nutrition for Cancer Survivors” class from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month in its Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care adjacent to the hospital.
The upcoming dates are Nov. 14 and Dec. 12, according to a statement.
The class is made possible by St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound, the statement said.
"The class provides information and resources for healthy eating during and after treatment in addition with dietary tips and modifications to help improve overall wellness and health," the statement said.
The class is facilitated by St. Vincent’s Outpatient Nutrition Educator Karen Novak, who provides individualized nutrition counseling for outpatients referred by their primary care physicians or endocrinologists on issues of weight management, heart and other diseases, the statement said.
To register or for more information call the SWIM Hot Line at 203-576-6158.
To view the full listing of health and wellness events offered here at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, visit www.stvincents.org/events

New Haven Polling Places At A Glance

Help New Haven families celebrate Thanksgiving

BlumShapiro, an accounting, tax and business consulting firm based in New England, will partner with Christian Community Action to provide Thanksgiving Day meals to more than 1,700 families and seniors in New Haven, according to a statement.“The BlumShapiro Thanksgiving Food Basket Campaign for Christian Community Action is a community wide, hands-on program that will collect non-perishable food items and financial contributions, as well as provide volunteers to help bag all donated items for distribution to families and seniors right before Thanksgiving Day,” the statement said.“We are very proud to partner with Christian Community Action to help bring a full traditional dinner to the Thanksgiving Day tables of more than 1,700 families and seniors in New Haven,” Tom DeVitto, Chief Marketing Officer at BlumShapiro, said in the statement. “We invite businesses, individuals, schools, church and civic groups and others to join BlumShapiro employees and our families in this community wide effort to help other families have a festive and fulfilling Thanksgiving Day.”The Rev. Bonita Grubbs, Christian Community Action executive director, said, also in the statement, “We are excited to have a company as prestigious as BlumShapiro join us in supporting our Thanksgiving Food Basket initiative.”“Such display of community spirit and commitment is impressive, and we hope it will inspire others who may not have been aware of this effort to pitch in with food drives, donations and volunteers,” she said.The BlumShapiro Thanksgiving Food Basket Campaign for CCA will collect non-perishable food items and monetary contributions from through Nov. 12.To help companies in collection efforts, BlumShapiro will provide collection boxes for donated non-perishable food items, the statement said. Financial contributions to CCA will go towards the purchase of turkeys, additional non-perishable food items and other necessities for a healthy and happy Thanksgiving Day meal. Any amount is appreciated. To donate online, visit www.ccahelping.org.Volunteers also are needed for a “bagging weekend” on Nov. 17-18 to sort and bag all donated food, along with turkeys, in preparation for distribution to families and seniors on the next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the statement said. Both bagging days take place at Casa Community Center, 148 Sylvan Ave., New Haven, beginning at 10 a.m. Joining BlumShapiro and CCA in their Thanksgiving food initiative is News 8 WTNH. For more information about the BlumShapiro Thanksgiving Food Basket Campaign for CCA, call Al May at CCA at 203-777-7848, extension 19, or visit www.ccahelping.org.

New Haven 'Carnaval of Day of the Dead' coming up

Orange Chamber of Commerce to Hold 2012 State Candidates Debate

ORANGE — The Orange Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual “The 2012 Candidate Debate” on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at the Grassy Hill Country Club.
Registration and breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m. immediately followed by the “State Senate/Representative” debate. Candidates invited to participate in the debate-style forum are: 14 District state Senatorial candidates Democrat Gayle Slossberg, and Republican Mike DeGrego; 114th District State Representative candidates Republican Themis Klarides and Democrat Aldon Hynes; and 117th District state Representatives Democrat Paul Davis running unopposed and 119th District state Representative candidates Democrat James Maroney and Republican Pam Staneski. The debate will be moderated by members of the Orange Chamber Legislative Action Committee. The forum is open to all members of the Orange Chamber of Commerce free of charge, guests may attend for $15. Reservations required, no exceptions. For reservations, contact Mary Bialy at the Orange Chamber, 203-795-3328 or by e-mail to mary@orangectchamber.com.

In Shelton, have a free or low-cost mammogram Oct. 21

The latest American Cancer Society guidelines recommend that all women have a mammogram by age 40, and then every year thereafter.

Mammograms are free for those who do not have health insurance, have financial limitations and qualify for assistance. For those who do not have insurance, but do not qualify for free services, mammograms are discounted. Appointments are recommended and walk-ins are accepted.

The agency suggests that you bring a physician order to the appointment. If you do not have a physician order, call 203-576-5505; for those with an insurance card, bring it to the screening.

To schedule an appointment or to find out when the mobile mammography unit will be in your area, call St. Vincent’s SWIM Women’s Imaging Center at 203-576-5505. To schedule a screening site for your office, community center, school or church, call the Mobile Mammography coordinator at 203-576-5505.

Editor's note: All information
in this post was contributed.

Editor's note: All information
in this post was contributed. It is largely unedited here.

Travel presentation to be held in Orange

ORANGE - A travel presentation by Collette Vacations will be held at 3 p.m. Nov. 5 at Holy Infant School, 450 Racebrook Road
Highlights of a 10 day Oct. 5 - 15, 2013 trip to Madrid, Corboba, Seville, Granada, Valencia and Barcelona will be given with the opportunity to make early reservations at a considerable savings: $3,399 pp rate based on a double includes airfare, hotels, transfers, air taxes, surchargers, and transportation to and from JFK, a statement said
Call Joanne Byrne (203-891-7771) for more information.